happy talk

Definition of happy talknext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of happy talk Anyone with happy talk about AI data centers or endless growth was going to destroy the state. David Weigel, semafor.com, 24 Nov. 2025 There is a lot of happy talk about working together to expand the pie, but the word competition keeps bumping up against the word collaboration. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025 Unmoored from reality, the pronouncements veer into happy talk. Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Sep. 2025 Trump’s preference for political happy talk has already reframed conversations about his economic agenda. Bruce Yandle, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for happy talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for happy talk
Noun
  • That proceeded to loud cross talk and confusion in the room until Padilla called on Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the committee’s chair, to restore order.
    Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 7 Oct. 2025
  • This time, Zelensky pushed back, engaging in cross talk with Trump and Vance that demonstrated a level of defiance to the president and his team.
    Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Harden was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for the much younger (and much smaller) Darius Garland.
    Law Murray, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • The San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was ejected from Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals after a heated exchange in the paint with Minnesota’s Naz Reid.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Others are purely skeptical and believe a dialogue could backfire.
    Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
  • There’s this whole deeper meaning [to the dialogue].
    Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • As tensions rise between the United States and China over trade, technology, Taiwan and military influence, the relationship between the world’s two largest economies is increasingly shaping global politics and national security debates.
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 15 May 2026
  • While the first debate, hosted by Nexstar on April 22, was relatively calm, the subsequent three debates were more chaotic, often serving as an opportunity for candidates to lob accusations at one another.
    James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • In a video about an erratic Uber driver, a recognizable dynamic—awkward small talk, impatience to set off—escalates into a life-threatening one.
    Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
  • Individuals were randomly assigned to either be as efficient as possible when placing their order - no small talk with the staff - or to be more social with the barista.
    Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 9 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Happy talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/happy%20talk. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster